Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-12-16
SALTED WITH DIAMONDS,
A SHARPER'S PRETENDED DIS
CoVERY OF VALUABLE MINES.

the great banker, RalstOn, who loved to
be called the Financial King of the
Pacific Coast" devoted no small share
of the California Bank, of which he was
President, was the exploiting of mines
in the Pyramid range of mountains, close
to the border line which divides Arizona
from New Mexico. This was early in
the EOS, when speculation was rife
and the discovery of bonanzas an every
day event. Among the employees of
Ralston in the Pyramid mines was one
George Arnold, man of mcagre educa-
tion, but bright and ambitious. In his
shanty on the wide mountain side and
over his bacon and beans he was ever
dreaming Of some plan that would
bring Dame Fortune ut his waiting feet
and shower upon him her .princely
favors. He saw men making fortunes
by single cast of the die and losing
them by a single throw. While vet
dreaming his dream Of wealth there
came to him the bright-colo~ed story of
the great diamond di o. cries of Cape
Colony. His teemjng brain at once de-
viscd a scheme which, in his way,
equa'ed Lows South Sea Bubble. He
had grown unscfupulou3 in his desire
and had come to believe that, with HIM
at least, the end justified tie means.
The sell around the Pyramid district
was rich in color and had character
enough 10 ina"gurate any mining scheme,
however wild and imp:act;ca5le. So
with comrade, Jim Iiagg rty, with
whom he had long associated, Arnold
made long tours over the surrounding
country. After few weeks of this kind
OF work he resigned his place in the
mines with the gwen intention of seek
ing the fa!rrr fields Of Mexico.
lie next turned up in San Francisco in
the fall of 1911. lie immed ately found
Ralston and Nstonished even that bold
OPERATOR by lc ealing that he had dis
covered in Arizona rich diamond fields
quite as extensive as those of Cape
Ccloiy. rom the gr;psack he had
brought with him he poured forth a
wondious display of rough diamonds
which had been washed from the Yield
Ing soil Of the new find. They were many
and apparently of value.
Az" "sOhj SNSi l0ddy lOl " NC'ItuIe, e po-
ciallY one which promised such dazzling
results, entered at once into proposed
exploration OF the new diamond fields.
He introduced Arnold 10 several leading
capitalists who at once became enthusi-
astie over the new Golconda. With the
rapid action peculiar to Californians, the
clique who had been led into the secret
Immediately determined to visit the
mines and if found to be all right to pur-
chase Arno!d's claims and titles for the
modest but snug sum of $t,C0), 900.
Arnold reluctantly accepted the offer.
In due course of time the party of cap.
italists interested left San Francisco for
the proli cd land. At Camp Ralston,
the headquarters Of the Pyramid mining
speculation, the eager capitalists were
met by Arnold and lIaggerty, the latter
being introduced as a sort Of side part.
ner, like the silent mariner of the Ad.
miral of II. NJ. s. Pinafore. The two
worthless were TO conduct Ralston and
his associates to the diamond
fields. The party was led by a
route as zigzag as q snake fence
and as rough as a corduroy road. Part
of the way was along the ella river to
where the Rio Prieto enfptic3 into it. AT
this point the eyes of the jaded capital.
lstic visitors were carefully blindfolded
and thsir animals were led by theil
guides for some dist nce further. When
they were permitted to see daylight
again they were in the midst of clumr
of trees which stood On the rivers bank.
They were given shovels and picks and
told to dig anywhere about the clamp Of
trees. Each OF the visitors did so and
each ia turn brought forth one Or more
of tBe precious stones they sought for
They were eyeryN he,e, d the million.
aire miners wiped the cIinging soil from
of their hands softly, as though it was
sacred deposit.
On their return to San Francisco tht
capita lists wished to form company
In ten days it was accomplished. Arnold
was paid his 81, co., 600 and made super
intendent Of the new mines. He at once
made known the location of the diamond
fields and they were visited by severa
stockholders in the company. Diamond,
were found by each and all of them, anC
all weat merry rs marriage bell unit
Arnold skipped for the East.
1t was then thought best to call an ex
pert, and Professor King, the wcil-knowr
geologist, was selected. He first discov
cred that the ground around the. clmnr
of trees on the bank of the Eio Prictc
had been cleyerly sa'tcd" with refuse
diamonds, such a9 may be cheapy
bought in the marts at Amsterdam. Il
was also found that the diamonds found
by the capitalists had been "tried" at
Am, terdam, and, as Professor King said
while diamonds may exist in Arizona
it is hardly to be expected that nature
will produce them partly cut or pol
ished."
The members Of the new diamond
company were both thunderstruck anC
indignant, and steps were quickly ta&er
to bring Arnold to Justice lie was a
his home in his native Kentu ky, anC
the machinery of the law was brought t.
bear upon him there. He was arrested
but was never taken ont of the blue gras
country for punishment. In some man
ner he secured his release and entered
upon life Of wild en- oyment. His ex
cesses were of short duration, and afte
five yeas Of feasting and rioting will
ill-gotten wealth bis life went out.
How much his side part! er, jim Hag
gerty, received for his share of the plum
der was never known, although it mus
have cen a considerable amount. II
was look ed upon as friend and tool
rather than II bad sinner, aud was lef
UNPUBLISHED. fowevef, Eedled poor ant
miserable p M M&piia Press.
The numLcr of sleep in the Unite
States rose RON nineteen millions i
1870 to ffty-ono millions in 1884, an
decliaed to forty Fl &C millions in 1881
In t3 O our woolen product rca, he